Water block or dam forming device



June 2, 1936. R, H? SMITH WAjIER BLOCK OR DAM FORMING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l II x- ,FIaSSeZJJQ way/Z By @w A Home);

June 2, 1936. R H SMITH 2,043,075

WATER BLOCK OR DAM FORMING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I nventm June 2, 1936. R. H. SMITH WATER BLOCK OR DAM FORMING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor g; v I a];

QE I B14556 I $2.: 2 k g mm Attorney Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES 7 2,043,075 WATER BLOCK R DAM FORMING DEVICE Russell H. Smith, Quanah, Tex., assignor of onehalf to Alfred A. Lindsey, Quanah, Tex.

Application April 24, 1935, Serial No. 18,019

3 Claims. (01. 97 55) This invention relates to a water block or dam forming machine for use in the cultivation of land.

As is well known, in the cultivation of irrigated land, the practice is to provide checks, water blocks or as otherwise termed dams across the furrows to retain the water equally distributed, and also to guard against erosion and the washing of the seed along the trenches.

In accordance with the present invention, a machine of the character suggested is provided whereby the dirt used in making the dam is shoveled into the trenches from opposite sides thereof so as not to unduly increase the depth of the trenches as results from the now existing formsof machines provided for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which can be readily applied to any suitable type of farm tractor, and which is otherwise characterized by simplicity of construction and number of parts, operation and application of the machine to the tractor.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a transmission forming part of the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the manner of connecting a shovel shank to a foot member.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the connection between the shovel shank and its foot member.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a shovel.

Figure 8 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 8. I i c Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view showing a dam arrangement in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 11 is a detail view taken substantially on the line I II I of Figure 10.

In accordance with the present invention, the improved dam or water block forming device comprises a suitable frame I pivoted at one end to clamps 2 secured about the rear axle 3 of a suitable tractor indicated generally by the reference numeral 4 as suggested in Figure 1. For- Wardly of the axle 3 there is suitably mounted a shaft 5 to which end extensions at the sides of frame I are connected by links or arms 6 in such a manner that by the rocking of the shaft 5 the angle of the frame I with respect to the ground may be varied for controlling the digging depth of the tools of the device. For rocking the shaft 5 there is provided a lever I and for securing the frame at the desired adjustment there is associated with the shaft 5 and lever I suitable rack and detent means indicated generally by the reference numeral 8.

Extending transversely of the free end of the frame I are spaced parallel bars 99 between which are pivoted as at IU guide sleeves II in which work rods I2. The rods I2 are connected as at I3 to eccentric straps I4 operating in the groove of eccentric disks I5 and I6 respectively.

The eccentric disk I5 is eccentrically secured to an outer hollow tubular shaft I'I while the eccentric disk I6 is secured to an inner shaft I8.

The shafts II and I8 extend from one side of a gear transmission case I9. In this connection and as best shown in Figure 5, the'shafts I! and I8 respectively are divided into sections the sections of the shaft II being joined together through the medium of a suitable universal joint while the sections of the shaft I8 are connected together through the medium of a suitable universal joint 2|. I

The gear case I9 is suitably mounted from the rear axle by brackets 22, and on the ends of the shafts I1 and I8 terminating within the gear casing I9 are gears 23 and 24 respectively.

The gears 23 and 24 respectively are in mesh with pinions 25 and 26 respectively secured to shafts 2I suitably journaled in the case I9. Also on the shafts 21 are gears 28 in constant mesh with a pinion 29 provided on that end 'of the power take-off shaft 30 of the tractor that ex tends into the casing I9 as also shown in Figure 3. It will thus be seen that drive from the power take-off shaft 30 will be transmitted through the gearing just described to the shafts I1 and I8 for simultaneously rotating the eccentric disks I5 and I6 in reverse directions as indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 2 for reciprocating the rods I2.

On the end of each rod I2 is clamped as at 3| a head block 32 in which is secured the upper end of a foot or post 33. The lower end of the post 33 is bifurcated as at 34, and is apertured to receive a shovel shank 35. The shank 35 is secured in the furcation 34 of the foot 33 through the medium of bolt and nut means 36 and a wooden pin 31 the latter being provided in the event the shovel 38 strikes a hard obstruction the pin 31 will break thus permitting the shank 35 to swing about the bolt 36 as a pivot and thereby prevent breaking of the shovel, its shank or foot 33 as might otherwise result. In this connection it will be noted that the shovel 38 which is of any suitable shape and design is secured to its shank 35 through the medium of bolt and nut means 39.

The operation of the device is as follows:

As the tractor draws the device over the ground, drive is transmitted from the power take-off shaft of the tractor to the shovel operating rods 12 through the shafts, gearing and eccentrics in a manner above explained so that at predetermined intervals the shovels 38 serve to shovel or scrape the dirt from opposite sides of the furrow or trench 40 into the trench to provide a water block, check or dam 4| as clearly suggested in Figure 10. It is preferable to so time the operation of the shovels that these dams 4| will be provided at, for example, every nine feet throughout the length of the trench. Further it has been found desirable in making these dams to stagger the same as shown in Figure 10, that is with the dam in one trench arranged in alternation -or staggered relation to the dam in the next adjacent trench.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have shown a slightly modified form of means for transmitting power from the power take-01f shaft to the shovel operating rods l2. In this form of the invention instead of providing inner and outer shafts such as shafts I1 and I8, I provide a single shaft 42 connected in driving engagement with the power take-off shaft at one end in any suitable manner such as by a suitable train of gearing or the like. At its other end the shaft 42 terminates between the cross bars 9 and at said end is equipped with a pinion 42. In this form of the invention the eccentric disks l5 and 15 are dispensed with and in their stead are provided gears 44 mounted on suitable shafts 45 journaled in bearings 46 provided on the lower edges of the cross bars 9 as shown in Figure 8. One of the gears 44 as shown in Figure 8 is in constant mesh with the pinion gear 42 and the gears 44 are in mesh one with the other as shown so that obviously the gears 44 are caused to rotate in unison for driving the several operating rods [2. In this connection it will be noted that the rods I2 are connected with the gears 44 through the medium of eccentric pins 41. Manifestly, with such a driving gear the shovels will be operated for shoveling or scraping the dirt from opposite sides of the trench into the trench for forming the water check, block or dam. Referring again to the operation of the device it will be understood that in actual practice the machine will move forward, for best results, at a predetermined speed of approximately three miles per hour and that the reciprocation of the hoes or scrapers will be relatively faster than the forward movement of the machine with the result that the hoes will bring the dirt into the furrow at nearly a straight angle. In this connection it may be stated however that the angle at which the hoe may travel across the furrow will not materially affect the damming or water block formation so long as the hoe is properly adjusted to drag the dirt into the furrow.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A machine for building dams in furrows comprising a frame, means for pivotally mounting the frame at one end to the rear of a draft vehicle equipped with a power take ofi shaft, means for securing the frame at the desired adjustment relative to ground level, shovels operating laterally of the frame for shoveling dirt from opposite sides of a furrow into the furrow to build a dam, rods to which said shovels are secured, guide means mounted on the frame and with which said rods are slidably engaged, eccentric means connected with said rods to operate the shovels, and means in conjunction with said eccentric means for operating said shovels from the power take off shaft of the draft vehicle.

' 2. A machine for building dams and furrows comprising in combination with a draft vehicle having a power take off shaft, a frame pivotally mounted at one end of the draft vehicle, means for securing the frame at the desired adjustment relative to ground level, oppositely extending rods mounted on said frame for oscillatory movement, shovels on one end of the respective rods, a pair of inner and outer shafts mounted on said frame, power transmission means connecting said inner and outer shafts with said power take off shaft for driving the inner and outer shafts in reverse directions relative to one another, an eccentric disk oneach of said inner and outer shafts, an eccentric strap connecting one of said rods with one of the eccentric disks, and a second eccentric strap connecting the other of said rods with a second one of said eccentric disks, as and for the purpose specified.

3. A machine for building dams and furrows comprising in combination with a draft vehicle equipped with a power take off shaft, a frame pivotally mounted on the draft vehicle at the rear end of the latter, means for securing the frame at the desired adjustment relative to ground level, oppositely extending rods mounted on. said frame for oscillatory movement, shovels on one end of the respective rods, a shaft having an end portion mounted on said frame and a second end portion in driven engagement with the power take off shaft of the vehicle, a pair of intermeshing gears mounted on said frame, a gear on one end of the driven shaft'in mesh with one gear of said pair, and one of said shovel carrying rods having an end eccentrically connected with one gear of said pair, and the other of said shovel carrying rods having an end eccentrically connected with the other gear of said pair, as and for the purpose specified.

RUSSELL H. SMITH. 

